JPS638026B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention applies to so-called sheet materials (hereinafter also simply referred to as sheets) called copy paper, transfer paper, and recording paper that are carried out from image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printing machines, and other recording equipment. This relates to a sheet sorting device (hereinafter also referred to as a sorter) that handles distribution, accumulation, etc.

In general, a sorter has a sheet material accumulation table (hereinafter referred to as a tray) of about 10 to 20 or more stages, and is a means of conveying sheets continuously at regular intervals from a device such as a copying machine using a belt. Alternatively, the sheets are sequentially conveyed and stacked on a predetermined tray using a plurality of roller means or a conveying means combining these.

However, when a sorter is placed close to the sheet exit of a copier or the like and a group of trays are sequentially moved, the trays of conventional sorters are arranged at equal intervals, so in order to improve the sheet sorting function, the trays are arranged in multiple stages. The more the number of sheets is increased, the more the distance between the sheet inlet tips of the tray has to be reduced. However, in order to solve this problem, there is a conventional method of moving the tray so that the tray entrance becomes wider when the tray is moved to the position where the sheet is to be carried in, but in this case, simply Since the tray is rotated around one fulcrum on the tray, there is a distance between the tray inlet tip and the conveyance roller, which has the disadvantage that sheets become warped or warp and cannot be loaded onto the tray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a sorter that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art described above.

In the present invention, tray groups 4 ₂ to 4 ₁₄ provided in multiple stages with intervals maintained are moved by drive means 8 and 10, and the sheet receiving side of one of the tray groups is sequentially positioned at the sheet introduction port. a plurality of support means 23 for supporting the trays so as to be rotatable in the tier direction and slidable in the sheet introduction direction on the rear end side of each of the trays; a plurality of lever means 26 pivotally engaged with and supporting the sheet receiving side, having a driven member 28 at the other end and pivotally supported on means for moving with the group of trays; and is fixedly provided to the apparatus, and acts on the driven member 28 in order to rotate the lever means 26 in order every time the tray group is moved, thereby moving the corresponding tray to the support means 23. It is characterized by having an engaging means 27 that rotates and slides with support from the tray to enlarge the distance between adjacent trays.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a sorter showing an embodiment of the present invention. The sheet 1 ejected by the ejection roller C' of the copying machine C reaches the inlet of the sorter S arranged oppositely, and is moved by the inlet guide 2 to the conveyor rollers 3a, 3.
lead to b. A sheet receiving opening _{44 '} of the tray 44 is arranged opposite to the nip of the conveyance rollers 3a and 3b, and the sheets conveyed from the conveyance rollers 3a and 3b are stored and placed on the tray ₄₄ . It goes without saying that the ejection roller C' of the copying machine C may also be used as the conveyance rollers 3a and 3b.

Each of the 15 stages of tray groups 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ . . . 4 ₁₅ is attached to the tray support plate 5 at its side end. Further, since the tray support plate 5 is attached to the elevating member 6, the tray group can be raised and lowered, and the sheet receiving opening of each tray can be arbitrarily moved between the conveying rollers 3a and 3.
It can be set in a position opposite b.

That is, the elevating member 6 can move up and down along the support column 7 by at least a distance corresponding to the distance from tray 4 ₁ to tray 4 ₁₅ . A chain (or wire, etc.) 8 is fixedly attached to the upper end of the elevating member 6, and its direction is changed by the upper idle sprocket 9 to reach the sprocket 11 at the shaft end of the motor 10 below. The member 6 is fixed to the lower end of the elevating member 6 via a spring B. Therefore, when the motor 10 is driven to rotate clockwise in the figure, the tray groups 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ . . . rise integrally with the elevating member 6.

On the other hand, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the support column 7 of the sorter seen from above. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the elevating member and shows the positioning mechanism.

In FIG. 2, a notch plate 13 serving as a tray positioning means is fixedly provided inside the support column 7 so as to move up and down along the groove 12 of the elevating member 6. The cutout plate 13 has cutouts formed at positions corresponding to the spacing between the trays, and the position of the tray can be set by detecting transmission through the cutout using a position detection sensor 15 having a light emitting element and a light receiving element. .

On the other hand, the elevating member 6 is also formed with a notch 16 as shown in FIG.
17 is shown in contact with the notch, and the pawl 17' indicated by a broken line is shown in a state released from the elevating member 6. The pawl 17 rotates using a pawl shaft 18 as a rotation support shaft, and can be displaced into states 17 and 17'. To move the tray group, when returning the tray group from the uppermost position or any arbitrary position to the initial lowermost position, the solenoid 19 is energized to hold the claw 17 at the position 17' indicated by the broken line. Notch 1
This is done by disengaging from 6. It should be noted that while the trays are being raised one by one, the solenoid 19 does not need to be operated at all, and the claws 17 are bitten into the lifting member 6 by a return spring 20 fixed to the sorter body. In the example shown in FIG. 3, if the elevating member 6 overruns by about 5 mm, the pawl 17 will enter the notch 16 on the elevating member 6 side by the return spring 20, and the motor 10 will be stopped if the electromagnetic brake is not used. As the elevating member 6 descends under its own weight and pushes the pawl 17 at the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the pawl 17 comes into contact with the stopper 21 and is stopped at a predetermined position for positioning. Therefore, it is sufficient to form the notch 16 in the elevating member 6 at a position where the conveying rollers 3a, 3b and the tray entrance are aligned. Furthermore, it goes without saying that if the tray itself has this notch 16, the accuracy will be further improved.

Next, the operation of the sorter will be explained. Initially, by the counterclockwise rotation of the motor 10, the tray groups 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ . . . are lowered to the bottom, and the trays 4 ₁
When the position detection sensor 15 detects that the sheet receiving opening of the sheet corresponds to the nip portion of the transport rollers 3a, 3b, the remoter 10 is stopped by an appropriate control circuit, and the electromagnetic brake (Fig. (not shown) is held in a certain position at the lowest position.
Alternatively, the sensor 15 may be omitted and the motor may be rotated for a certain period of time using a suitable timer. In the case of using an electromagnetic brake, a mechanism as shown in FIG. 3 may be adopted to prevent the tray group from descending due to the weight of the tray group when the power is not supplied. Therefore, the sheet is carried into the tray 4 ₁ and transferred to the conveyance roller 3
a, 3b, the sheet detection lever 14 and the sheet detection sensor 2 detect that the sheet is stored in the tray ₄₁ .
2, after detecting the rear end of the sheet, the motor 10 is rotated clockwise in the figure, and the position sensor 15 detects the notch in the notch plate 13 corresponding to the tray ₄₂ , and the motor 10 stops at the corresponding position. and the electromagnetic brake is applied. Then, the tray ₄₂ is on standby to receive sheets.

After the above-described operations are repeated as many times as necessary, the tray group is returned to the initial position, which is the lowest position, by a return signal. A spring B connected to the elevating member 6 and the chain 8 absorbs the shock when the tray group 4 is moved. Note that when positioning is performed using the position detection sensor 15 and electromagnetic brake described in FIG. 2, the claw 1 shown in FIG.
7 is effective. That is, there is a drawback that when the power is turned off, the electromagnetic brake is cut off and the tray group 4 falls down, but if this pawl 17 is provided, it will work as a stopper and prevent the tray group from falling due to its own weight even when the power is turned off. .

Next, the operation of the tray will be explained using FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the tray showing the state when the tray is moved up and down. The elongated hole 2 of the tray is inserted into the support shaft 23 fixed to the support plate 5 that supports each tray.
4 is slidably engaged. Further, at the entrance of the tray, there is an arm lever 26 rotatably attached to a support shaft 25 fixed to the tray. It is rotatably mounted on the Also, a pin 3 is attached to the other end of the arm lever 26.
0 is fixed and rotatably engaged with a hole provided in the tray. The tray has an inclination as shown in the figure, and acts to slide by its own weight toward the tray entrance side. When the tray rises, the rollers 28 move up while coming into contact with the immovable cam plate 27.
The roller rotates downward about the fulcrum 25 by the cam plate 27, and the upper tray ₄₃ moves by the pin 30 so that the sheet receiving port of the lower tray ₄₄ opens.
At this time, the tray 4 ₃ moves in the sheet conveyance direction 31, and even if the tray rotates around the fulcrum 23, the end face 32 on the tray entrance side and the two conveyance rollers 3,
The position is determined according to the specifications of the cam plate 27 and the rollers 28 so that the distance from the rollers 28 to 4 does not change.

According to the present invention, since the sheet receiving port can be enlarged only when the tray reaches the sheet storage position, it is possible to downsize the sorter, and furthermore, the gap between the sheet receiving port and the conveyance roller in the storage position is increased. Since the sheets do not become large, the sheets can be reliably stored in the tray.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a sorter showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged upward sectional view of the support 9 portion, Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the elevating member, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the tray. . 1... Sheet, 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ ......, 4 ₁₅ ... Tray, 23, 25, 29... Fulcrum, 24... Oblong hole,
26...Arm lever, 27...Cam plate, 28...
...Koro.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Tray groups 4 ₂ to 4 ₁₄ provided in multiple stages with intervals maintained are moved by driving means 8 and 10,
In the sheet sorting device that distributes sheets by sequentially positioning the sheet receiving side of one of the tray groups to the sheet introduction port, the tray is rotatable in the tier direction at the rear end side of each of the trays and slides in the sheet introduction direction. a plurality of support means 23 for rotatably supporting the sheet receiving side of each of the trays at one end to support the sheet receiving side of each of the trays, and a driven member 28 at the other end; a plurality of lever means 26 pivotally supported by means for moving with the tray group; and a plurality of lever means 26 fixedly provided with respect to the apparatus and acting sequentially on the driven member 28 each time the group of trays is moved to move the lever. A sheet sorting device comprising: engaging means 27 for sequentially pivoting the means 26, thereby pivoting and sliding the corresponding tray with the support of the supporting means 23, thereby increasing the distance between adjacent trays.